Revenge for a warrior
by Action is Eloquence
Summary: Drakul is a living nightmare. But surely he can't be worse than Cluny the Scourge who has returned?
1. A rat that lived again

Deep in Mossflower wood, a few miles Southwest from Redwall abbey, a cream ferret with black paws, and a Black rat, rolled a large barrel, which made noises as the contents swirled around, and occasionally bumped. Both ferret and Rat decided to stop rolling the barrel and rest under a nearby tree, a gnarled Oak.

The Rat sat down and rubbed his footpaws, then said,

"Why we doin' this? I mean, looks bit weird, dunnit, rollin' a barrel in the middle o' nowhere.'

The Ferret sighed deeply, shook his head and explained.

"Ripclaw, D'ye remember 'ow we were forgotten at the war on the abbey? D'ye know why we're rollin' this 'ere barrel?"

Ripclaw shook his head confused.

"Well, this 'ere barrel holds the pickled remains o' our glorious leader, y'know _Cluny_?" Said the ferret, for what seemed the hundredth time. "Oh, thanks f'r that Blackfang" Ripclaw now thanking Blackfang sarcastically.

"Oh so yew don't see whit we're doin' whit Cluny's Corpse?" cursed Blackfang.

The pair was stopped from further argument, by a distant rumble of Thunder.

"Best get off t' Saint Ninian's eh? Ye don't wanna git struck by lightning? Eh?"

Blackfang agreed, He knew Lightning was dangerous and could kill, His older brother Scrap had killed by lightning once.

The pair got up and started rolling the barrel madly towards Saint Ninian's.

As both Ferret and rat were rolling so fast they didn't see the large rock that jutted before them.

WHOOMPF!

The ferret and rat went flying into the air, landing by the church gates.

The barrel was not as lucky.

When it hit the rock, it flew up into the air, but when it landed the wood fell away like Mice from a Cat.

Two Metal hoops lay atop of Cluny's pickled remains.

TSSSHHT!

Lightning hit the hoops, making Blackfang's fur stand on end.

The ring had a faint blue tinge after being hit.

"I told yew, if lightning can kill yer, it can make yer come back sorta like" said Blackfang.

"Now that's a cask of grog yew owe me"

Blackfang and Ripclaw ran out swiftly and picked up Cluny's corpse and ran towards the church.

Inside Ripclaw lit a fire on the floor with dry twigs. Whilst Blackfang scouted for leftover provisions from the 'pickings' that were in the attic.

Ripclaw was so focused on getting dry and so bitter for losing the bet, that he didn't see Cluny's corpse being dragged into the shadows.

Footsteps echoed around the old church,

Ripclaw said nervously as he tried to prove not so,

"Blackfang, stop try'na scare me, I know it's yew"

Ripclaw looked into the fire, back to warmth.

A large shadow fell over Ripclaw.

A voice, deep and masculine said,

"If I were you, I'd stay still, lest you value your life"

The voice was sinister and dark.

Ripclaw shuddered.

The voice sounded rat-like yet not, it sounded angry yet pleased, but it sounded more dead than alive, or was it _something_ that had been alive?

He shuddered again.

" One more move from you rat and you'll curse the day you were born." Threatened the voice growling.

Ripclaw was scared witless

"Whh…whh.ooo are.. You?" he stuttered

The voice sighed,

"What happened to manners? You say sir to your betters!"

Ripclaws' nerve broke.

He flung himself out the door running madly.

A thin whiplike thing cracked over his head.

Ripclaw fell, not dead only stunned.

"Do you know the penalty for desertion is in my horde?" asked the voice

Ripclaw whimpered.

The voice was closer,

"Death" said the voice in his ear.

Ripclaw fainted.

Blackfang had found an armful of vegetables and was carrying it to Ripclaw. First, he saw the rat, and then he saw Ripclaw.

The vegetables were dropped.

"Ye've killed him! Ye murderer, Ye've Killed Ripclaw, e' were my buddy e' were, an' I'll throttle you"

Ripclaw threatened.

The rat spun around to face the voice.

Blackfang wished he hadn't spoken.

There in front of him was undeniably Cluny.

Cluny the Scourge was alive again


	2. A rat amongst Mice

Briarflower was new to Redwall. It had only been a few weeks back that the little Weaseljill was found by skipper and his otters whilst they were looking for a trout and fishing. Now she was in the care of Jess Squirrel, Mr Squirrel and Sam. She grew normally for a weasel, yet she was lonely, because she had no playmates, for all the dibbuns hated weasels.

They taunted,

"You issa bad dibben, I choppa you up"

"Naughty Weasel, where 'Athias?"

"Who g otta sword? I gotta choppa dis weasel up"

Every time the dibbuns taunted her, she sought out Constance. There she felt comfort and Briarflower admired her greatly.

"Stand up against them, yet don't try to stop them. It was the same with the hordes of Cluny." Wise Constance spoke.

"Who is Cluny?" asked a confused Briarflower.

"You know we have two bells, Matthias and Methuselah? Well before they were cast we had one large bell, the Joseph bell. Cluny the scourge, to give him his full title, was slain by the Joseph Bell as it fell on him,Yet the bell was cloven in half and the bell was reforged."

Constance paused.

"Cluny was a rat that everybest hated. He wanted our abbey but Matthias our warrior stopped him, by trapping him in the belltower and cutting the ropes with Martins Sword, of the Joseph Bell on top of Cluny. It killed him. But we never found out what happened to cluny's Corpse... Mattimeo is going to follow in his Father's pawsteps, Matthias." related Constance.

"I wish i could be brave like Matthias" sighed Briarflower.

"Sometimes Martin helps us with our wishes." replied Constance.

"So I can't ask martin for a set of wings." Giggled Briarflower.

Constance laughed, Briarflower had a sense of humour.

Later, Briarflower was playing with herself in a tree,

when she heard,

_"psst!"_

She ignored it.

_"PSSSST!"_

Briarflower had to investigate.

In the end, she found Clover, who was making the noise.

Clover was a leveret, daughter of Basil Stag Hare,

She was friends with Briarflower, but suggested not so to her father.

On the Western-faced parapets Clover looked down saying,

"PSSST! Deafears didn't you hear me?"asked Clover.

Briarflower came up.

"What is it Clover?" asked Briarflower.

"It's the trees," she said pointing over Redwall's walls. "Can't you see they're moving?" whispered Clover.

"But there's no wind." Replied Briarflower.

"Precisely, that means there's going to be a great misfortune" Clover whispered again.

_Hares are so superstitious, they'll believe anything._

Briarflower thought.

Instead of saying that and offending her, she said,

"I've just been to see Constance, She say's that I've got to be brave like Martin the warrior," stroking the walls' ramparts as she spoke.

"If everyone was as brave as Martin, they'd be no Redwall champion like Matthias" said a voice, familiar yet not.

It turned out that it was Mr squirrel.

"Come Briarflower, It's time for bed," he whistled.

A figure came in from the distance over the edge of the trees.

"Look," said Clover, pointing at the beast. "Over there, it's a beast"

The beast stumbled, fell, got up again then dragged itself towards the abbey.

"It looks like a traveller. It seems injured. Looks like a mouse from here" Briarflower announced as she shaded her eyes from the sun's glare.

The beast came into close view, it seemed to look mouse-like with its' thin tail, it stumbled then fell, crawling as if from exhaustion. It stopped in front of the gates.

"Should we help it? It could be dangerous" asked Basil Stag Hare who had come up to find Clover.

"A mouse! Dangerous? You talk like a cabbage." laughed Sister Auburn, a squirrel.

"The only dangerous mouse was Martin" piped Briarflower.

No one replied.

The Abbot Mordalfus came up to view, querying,

"Why are you looking down when we have jobs to be attending to?"

"Father Abbot, there's a beast down there, apparently injured. Should we let it in?" asked Mr Squirrel.

"Brother Simon, Skipper and Brother Lucian, help me take the beast to our infirmary."

Skipper, Lucian the Mouse and Simon the hedgehog went with Abbot Mordalfus to help the creature.

The gates opened.

The beast on the floor heard and weakly lifted its head, it fell down again The rags and cloth surrounding the beast's head fell back revealing the rat.

It sighed, looking up at the abbot.

The rat closed its eyes whispering,

"Ra-wall,"

Then fainted.

The four beasts carried the rat into the infirmary.

Later in the evening, the rat woke, startled, it tried to scrabble out of the bed.

"Stay calm, You're in Redwall's infirmary, you're injured." Said Sister Auburn calmly.

"Ra-wall?" it asked.

"Yes, you're injured, we'll heal you, who are you?" asked Briarflower

"Rascaba," pointed the rat at herself.

"Briarflower, Novice healer."

"Tu weasel. Eu, I'm un Schnowrat, white rat."

Rascaba stroked her fur, it was pure white and her eyes were blood red.

"You're Albino?" asked Briarflower curiously,

Rascaba nodded eagerly.

"Albino is royal, but I not royal"

Rascaba licked her lips, she asked,

"Have tu water?"

Sister Auburn passed the water jug

"Thank you" Rascaba said gratefully.

Rascaba drunk thirstily.

"Why are you here in Mossflower? Shouldn't you be with a clan?" asked Cornflower, who had come to visit Sister Auburn.

"Meu Sorã Saraba and eu. Fleeing Drakul. He bad Mongoose"

"Whassa Mongooze?" asked a dibbun mouse.

"Like Ferret, and weasel together but gold fur. Eat many snakes"

_Snakes._

The thought made Briarflower shiver.

She was afraid of snakes.

"Who's Saraba?" asked a dibbun squirrel who peeked around a door.

"Sister, mine we separated, I injured from attack by a wildcat. Then i here go, very safe no bad."

Constance came in silently, sneaking on the dibbuns that had sneaked in to the infirmary.

"Wo wanna go bed too early!"

"H'i hate going to bed I'm norra tired H'i got to go hep Bruvva Silvan!"

"We're norra tired tired, ee don't wanna go to bed"

"H'i hate going to bed! I'm norra tired H'i wanna to do things" Baby Calom the mole babe shouted.

All dibbuns were taken out of the infirmary, and then there was Briarflower, Rascaba, Sisters Auburn and Firecrest the dormouse. The others had been dismissed and left the room.

"I tell you a secret, I'm not foreign rat, this is a fake accent, and normally I talk like _this _because I am a master of disguise, I have to conceal my identity, but my sister and I are from the southeast, across the desert, in the land of the foggy forests, like Southsward and it as beautiful castles. All about Drakul is true." She paused then started again, "Mizo my uncle, he told me about Ra-wall. But he was killed by Drakul. We had to choose, death as resistors or joining his horde as slaves. He noticed after ten seasons. We had promise as fighters, so he made us his guardrats. My injury by the wildcat was by Felis, he is second in command. We separated and ran different ways. I think she's dead." Rascaba sighed again, then slumped down in sleep.

Sister Firecrest and Auburn tiptoed out.

_A refugee and a deserter, Rascaba? _

Today had been interesting.


	3. Of Wolves and lost friends

The sun shone majestically on that morning. The dawn's rays danced as the old stone walls of Redwall caught them. Redwall stood dominant over Mossflower wood, dwarfing the small and insignificant S.t. Ninians Church. But it did not dwarf Cluny.

Cluny barked out orders that Blackfang struggled to fulfil.

"Where are the new recruits? I asked for red meat not half rotting meat!"

Blackfang had been used to giving orders to Ripclaw but now he had to take orders from Cluny and Ripclaw as second in command.

Blackfang ran out searching for Red meat. As he turned the corner, he ran into what he presumed was a large grey fox, it was dressed in a green tunic and a blue shirt underneath, both of which was held in place by a belt. A huge longsword lay in a decorated scabbard.

The grey fox spotted Blackfang moving towards him and winked it appeared to no-one, and pretended to have not noticed him.

As Blackfang motioned towards a meat sack by the Fox's side, he fingered towards it.

"Maw, it's a thief what'll we do with it?" a voice barked from behind.

It made Blackfang freeze.

An arrow tip was pushed into his back.

"Show this thief Grawl, Where is it?" asked the fox tauntingly as it moved towards Blackfang.

"Thief, I'm a reasonable wolf," it said with a southern accent, "Why do you steal from the meat sack?" The wolf said as he leant down to Blakfang's eyelevel.

Blackfang quailed,

"I'm supposed t' get meat for my leader"

His reply was fast. Too fast.

"And who exactly is your leader?" questioned he wolf with the arrow tip digging into his fur.

"My leader? Err…well…y'see...I." stammered Blackfang

"Spit it out, we don't have all day." the first wolf growled.

Blackfang gulped, and then he whimpered,

"Cluny"

The wolf stood up.

"Take me to this Cluny, if I have heard right." demanded the wolf.

"Yessir, right away sir, follow me sir" piped a stammering Blackfang as he got up.

The first wolf picked Blackfang up by the scruff of his neck,

Blackfang gurgled piteously, as the wolf who called himself Maw, pushed his throat back pushing him onto a tree.

"I..I lead ye… If ye leggo o' me neck".

Maw pulled his paw back.

Blackfang dropped to the ground, as he got up painfully, he looked around.

"You drive a hard bargain, Ferret. Take us to Cluny." Snapped the voice known as Maw.

Blackfang rubbed his eyes.

The wolves were not there!

Surely his eyes were playing tricks on him!

He thought nothing of it and walked off.

But Blackfang didn't look behind him on the journey back to Cluny.

Inside St Ninians, Cluny sat upon an intricately carved chair, digging his claws into the wood, making new ridges. Cluny eyed Blackfang evilly, setting Blackfang on edge.

"Where is the meat, you lazy Skull bone, you mudbrain?" yelled Cluny.

Blackfang shifted from Footpaw to Footpaw nervously, before he could answer, a voice rang out questioning Cluny's authority.

"Oh how wise, brave leader"

The voice dripped sarcasm.

Cluny wheeled his one eye, in rage.

"Who said that? Show your face and fight me rat to beast!" he challenged.

"Still giving idle threats? I thought even you wouldn't sink that low Cluny" the voice taunted harsher.

Cluny jumped up, pushing Blackfang aside.

The voice was still taunting.

"Find the voice" barked Cluny at Blackfang.

"Still barking orders Cluny?" came the voice again, this time closer, behind him.

Cluny turned.

There on the chair he had been sitting on was a Wolf.

"Who are you?" Cluny jeered angrily.

"Don't you recognize your Clan brother Cluny?"

The wolf spoke.

It took a while for Cluny to recognize the wolf. He had seen many wolves in his life.

"Maw, you old scurvy dog"

Cluny ran up and shook Maw's paw gladly, relieved.

"Who's your mate?" asked Cluny seeing the second wolf by the side of the chair leaning on the edge holding a spear.

Maw turned to face the other wolf.

"This?" he pointed at the wolf. Cluny nodded. "This is Grawl; she's an archer and my mate"

Cluny punched Maw's arm lightly and friendly.

"I never knew you had it in you, you knave" Cluny remarked.

All conversation ended as Ripclaw came in from a room behind the church.

He asked,

"Who's the foxes?" stepping from the shadows behind the pews.

"Are you blind?" sighed Blackfang exasperated. "Those aren't Foxes you dummy those are wolves". Replied Blackfang admiringly.


	4. A mongoose is coming!

At lunch Rascaba told more of her life,

She had recovered sufficiently to have had a bath, and now her fur was whiter than snow and her eyes were blood red.

At the table Rascaba answered any questions about herself.

As she sat down in her new dark green tunic many questions bombarded her.

"Who is Mizo?"

"Where are you from?"

"Why are you here?"

"Do you bring any news of Vermin?"

Questions flooded her.

In the end she looked at Abbot Mordalfus, pleading for help.

He intervened,

"Please brothers and sisters of Redwall, Rascaba is a visitor not a foreteller of event, please go on one at a time."

Brother Lucian stood u, agreeing with the Abbots point,

"We should respect our abbot and by that we should show courteousness to Rascaba."

"Thank you brother Lucian." said the abbot.

Rascaba cleared her throat, after the two mice sat down.

"I'll tell you a story, hem. I was born sister to Saraba. My clan was in the southeast. Beyond Loamhedge and its deserts. We are from the mountains and forests beyond that, for where I am from, is called Rumanir. My clan was not Juska or Thief. We were the Trenzlavan clan. Our forest part was the forest of Trenzlavan. Anyway, on the eve of my sister, Saraba s' betrothal, we were attacked" Rascaba paused, and then she quickly started speaking "We were attacked. My brother-in-law to be was killed, I think, and my sister and I were forced to go to Mossflower."

Briarflower interrupted,

"So it was Drakul the Mongoose that did this to your family." She said as she stood up.

Matthias stood up,

"How do you know who Drakul is when most of us don't even know what he is?"

"Because Drakul will affect us all!" shouted Rascaba.

Matthias hastily sat down. Briarflower replaced Rascaba as speaker,

"Because late two nights back, I had a dream, that Martin showed me, my family before they were slain. Then he showed me the culprit. It was as Rascaba described him, but Martin said it was because of Drakul that I am here. I fooled Drakul into thinking I was dead. My family were slain. Martin also told me that Drakul was a Mongoose and many evil would come form his hordes. This he did not explain but I understood."

Rascaba took over from Briarflower.

"I remember now, your family refused to join Drakul's forces. I was present and my sister was outside, I didn't want to kill you, so Drakul sent for Bukkon the slayer to slay your family. I hit you accidentally and you fainted and appeared dead. So it was I who saved your life." Recalled Rascaba.

"Then the night after, Drakul was in one of his slaying fits, so my sister and I deserted his horde. But Felis the wildcat separated us and now I fear Drakul will come here."

Rascaba s voice was full of regret and warning.

After the meal, Abbot Mordalfus ordered that the abbey be fortified if Drakul would come to Redwall.

The Warning would come true.

Drakul was coming to Redwall!


	5. A Mongoose and revenge

Drakul sat in his tent on a three legged stool, eagerly waiting the time that he would slay the deserters Saraba and Rascaba with his claws.

His battle armour lay in blood smothered glory.

He had gloves that guarded his paws leaving room for his claws; he wore a light mail shirt which was edged with Cobra skin. Drakul had killed the Cobra, but a scar from the attack was still visible down the left side of his face. The venom had not killed him; it only made his reflexes sharper and added to his ferociousness. His only weapons were his claws and a short black dagger that he used _if _he got into difficulties: -_ which was never_.

He summoned Felis, his second in command, a black wildcat.

"Felis, my old friend, tell me, what do the Deathbringers say in my horde? Any talk of Mutiny?" he asked.

Felis bowed elegantly, with expertise with his cape bobbing.

"Sire, the horde shows no mutiny." Felis's tail twitched from side to side.

"Any news of the deserters? Have they been caught yet?" Drakul asked menacingly, his eyes seeing imaginary foes appearing in his tent.

"Ah, I just remembered Sire," recalled Felis, "Killnose the weasel, found a trail, that leads to a large sandstone fortress, He asked at the gates, but he got no answer : - well, no answer that is fit for your ears."

"What did the weasel ask?" asked Drakul eagerly.

Felis clicked his claws.

A lithe tan weasel ran in, his only clothing a Light Blue shirt.

"Sire, this is Killnose, Killnose, Tell our glorious Leader what you said."

"Mahsters, I think yews gonna like thish," the weasel spoke though a fallen tooth gum, every word whistling.

"About noon ago, I findsh a pawprint anda 'nuvver. I followsh these Footprinsh, and findsh a big cahstle place. When I asks the lookout, "Has yew go'd any ratsh, in dere", he says," Killnose put on a false accent. "Gettaway with you, vermin. If there were any rats, they'd be dead. Now flee before you're dead."

Drakul pawed his Snakeskin edged mail shirt. The snake reminded him of past victories and the mail for victories to come.

Killnose edged away, towards the tent exit.

"What makes you thin that you can escape me?" Asked Drakul abruptly.

"I…er,…I… er… well… erm" Killnose was caught off guard.

"Make yourself useful." Sneered Felis.

"Killnose, you are my friend, I am willing to make you leader, if anything were to happen to me. Now prove yourself." Drakul said broadly.

Killnose missed the wink passed between Drakul and Felis, Felis nodded, then grimly smiled. Drakul turned his back t them, paws akimbo looking out his makeshift window.

"Good weasel. Now get me Slaya"

Killnose shivered,

_Surely not Slaya the Assassin?_


	6. Dreams and Flashbacks

Later on Maw introduced the group to Scripp, a lean fair-furred weasel who wore an Orange tunic. He was to search for beasts that trespassed, and then they were forced to join Cluny's Army.

Scripp took his place outside the gates.

He sat down and sniggered.

It had been easy to infiltrate the wolves.

One false move and he would betray them to Drakul in person, Wolves and all of that fickle clan. He was powerful and Scripp was only a codename. His real name was Scarbane, who owed his allegiance to none.

He nodded his head in sleep, lulled by the warm temperature, which was different to the temperatures that he was used to.

A shadow moved in the trees. A rustling noise.

An arrow sped towards Scripp. Scripp woke roughly.

Then he screamed, there was an arrow growing out of his Tunic. He thought the arrow had slain him. Instead it had pinned him to the trunk. The shadow moved into the surrounding bushes. A dark, cloaked figure came out of the bushes. It wielded a longsword, threatening to cleave scrip in half. Scripp broke, madly from the figure, running into the church.

The door was flung open. He tripped on a stone, skidding on his face forwards, ending at Cluny's feet. Then Cluny's frosty glare wilted Scripp.

He blurted out fast, stuttering "There was an arrow… got me above me shoulder… Cloaked figure came… wanted to kill me… I ran here, I'm sorry."

Cluny leant forward, narrowing his one eye, standing directly over Scripp. Scripp looked into his eye. It was an angry blazing gold eye.

Scripp shuddered as Cluny spoke,

"Idle beliefs from old rodent's tales? A full-grown weasel like yourself, bawling about an imaginary foe? Oh fates! I thought I would never see the day." He mocked him.

Later that night, as Grawl, Maw, Blackfang, Ripclaw and Scripp slept, Cluny was having a nightmare. Cluny had had nightmares before, but this one was different. A black cloaked figure appeared in his dream, walking slowly and elegantly up an avenue of flames and torches. A white cloaked figure appeared next to the black one. Then he saw Foxburr the old fox leader of the clan that Cluny had belonged to.

_This was no dream_

_No, this was a flashback._

Something was going to happen.

True to word it did. Drakul and his deathbringers came upon the clan.

During the fight, Foxburr was slain; many others including the black and white figures were carried off to be slaves.

Cluny had been purposely pushed into the nearest lake by a weasel deathbringer. He had sustained many injuries from the fight with the weasel but in the lake he lost his left eye with the cursed pike. After the battle, It was Maw who'd found him. Maw who'd healed him. Maw who'd saved his life. Maw who had no clan-place to call home. But his eye couldn't be cured. Now he wore an eye patch improvised from old tent scraps.

His love Saraba had been taken away and he wanted revenge.

_Revenge for his eye!_

_Revenge for his clan!_

_Revenge on Drakul!_

_Revenge for Saraba!_

_Sweet, cold-hearted revenge._

Then after thanking Maw gratefully, he started to make the long journey to the mountains of the north.

Cluny woke in a cold sweat.

_Saraba, were she and her sister still alive?_

But that was ten seasons back. He was a leader in his prime.

_But he knew it!_

Cluny believed that they were alive.


	7. Martin the warrior

Rascaba sat with Matthias by a tree.

"Matthias, what would you do if you were me? Would you go find my sister or would you go and defeat Drakul?"

Matthias pondered the question.

"I would let Martin the Warrior decide personally. You do know of Martin the warrior?"

Rascaba nodded,

"Yes, Briarflower told me of your Martin and how he fought vermin like Badrang and Tsarmina the wildcat."

Rascaba sat back; she was relaxed here, so she shut her eyes and listened to the bird song and buzzing insects. Suddenly Rascaba was running with her eyes wide open.

_A long cobbled passage._

Drakul was in hot pursuit behind her.

_A mouse in front._ _A mouse with a sword._

Rascaba ducked towards the mouse.

She looked at the mouse's face. _It was Martin the warrior!_

_Drakul faded from view._

He smiled gently and said,

"_O rat of Rumanir,_

_Come forth to find your sister._

_Let not the foebeast come nearer._

_The Joseif will aid you in need,_

_But only for a price._

_Seek now your sister._

_Rascaba, warrior-maid of mice!"_

Then Rascaba woke, she had been thrashing violently during the vision.

Matthias had gone to get Constance to restrain her.

Mattimeo had somehow sneaked away from Cornflower to see.

When he arrived, and found she was ok, Rascaba said,

"It was Martin!"

Constance eagerly asked,

"What did he say?"

Rascaba replied,

"I can't remember it all but it was something about my sister and Joseif the leader in my tounge."


	8. Wanted

A shadow slunk across the woods. It moved fast ad sharply as if being chased by something. It leapt into a tall leafy tree.

A pair of vermin, a Fox and a stoat ran by, pushing the bushes clumsily apart. The fox who was adept at tracking ducked a branch. Looking at the scenery, the stoat walked into the branch.

"Wot 'it me?" it bawled loudly.

The Fox looked at the stoat and hissed.

"Wulfy, it weren't my choice for ye to be my scout but cut the cackle or I cuts it for ye. An' I don' mean your voice."

The stoat Wulfran or Wulfy ducked under another low branch.

"Alright for ye t' say, Grodd. Yew ain't a stoat. Drakul hates us Stoats."

Grodd spun on his heels threatening to drive his spear into Wulfran's throat.

"One more word, an' I swear yew ain't gonna see another day." Grodd hissed.

Grodd then shushed Wulfran. He aimed his spear at a dove nesting in a tree a few feet away from the shadow. He threw it effortlessly and effectively. It fell before it had a chance to fly away and raise alarm.

"Chew on it." Grodd whispered, handing the dead dove to Wulfran.

The pair tracked aimlessly through the trees.

The shadow sighed and shifted nervously.

It ran down the tree and ran the opposite way the vermin had fallen.

It ran up another tree. In sight was the building it had visited earlier.

It jumped from the tree to tree and the next one as squirrel-like a rat could manage.

At the back of the church, it leapt onto the slated roof, dislodging a few tiles.

It lay back on the warm tiles.

The hooded cloak she wore, the black hood fell back as she folded her arms behind her head. It revealed the rat and her deep gold amber eyes.

_Life was good for a change. _


	9. A rat of Rumanir

Inside Cluny heard the Scraping on the roof. He was inside talking to Maw when he heard it.

"Have you seen Scripp that lazy weasel? I thought it was you in charge of him." Sneered Cluny maliciously.

Ripclaw shook his head as he stared at the ceiling watching a moth.

"I'll go get him inside."

Then Ripclaw got up and went outside.

There Scripp was snoring, yet Ripclaw didn't see him.

He shouted,

"Come down or I'll gut ye on ma pike."

_He didn't own a pike but a spear sufficed._

A well-aimed roof-tile hit his mouth. A tooth was spat out.

"Spend your time up there. I'm not in a hurry. I can wait all year" laughed Ripclaw.

Another tile fell. Ripclaw dodged expertly, the tile narrowly missed his whiskers.

The rat on the roof stood up, stretched, vaulted into road whilst somersaulting in mid-air, landing on hind-paws. It had unsheathed two rapiers.

"Fear me rat. You have stirred my anger. Flee of face my wrath!" shouted the rat.

"Who are ye clown-rat?" sneered Ripclaw laughing.

"You need not know it rat." The rat snarled annoyed. "But if you insist I am known as Rapier! Tell your leader to fear me or fight me!"

The rat laughed at Ripclaw.

Ripclaw didn't know what to say, he was rooted to the spot.

"Cluny never fears of flees!" shouted Cluny, making Ripclaw jump.

He had come to see what was taking Ripclaw so long.

The rat bowed curtly.

"Your fellow rat was making idle threats again, what should a self-respecting war-lord like yourself do I wonder?" jeered the Rat.

"It concerns none of your judgment whelp. Tell me rat, why should I spare your life? Are you going to plead for mercy?" sneered Cluny, expecting the rat to grovel.

The rat did not grovel, but simply sheathed his swords.

"My life is of no concern to you, rat." He sneered. "But yet I risk life and limb to tell you of me being a cross of Drakul, and I get this welcoming? Now you'd better shut up or I'll shut you up. PERMANATLY!" Shouted the rat, clearly beyond annoyance.

Cluny was silent. He could always kill the rat later for speaking out of turn.

"Drakul? Is that insolent Mongoose still breathing? Tell your piece and be gone lest I kill you." Mocked Cluny, leaning on his haunches, weak with laughter.

The weasel Scripp woke. He went on pretending that he was asleep again, listening to every word.

"We are not rats of this land. We are from beyond the deserts and southern lands. We are from the lands of Rumanir and beyond. Who am I?" the rat sniggered. "I am who you knew well before the scourge existed. My piece is this: Drakul knows you are alive again. He plans to kill you or force you into fighting in his horde. I did not cross! No, I deserted!" laughed the rat crazily.

_The rat was clearly insane!_

Cluny narrowed his one good eye.

The rat laughed insanely again. Then it sighed,

"I have no clan of which you speak. They were carried off by Drakul. I had a clan, the Nytecrawlers!"


	10. The drum beats of war

Drakul was surveying his horde, in preparation for war on Redwall Abbey. He had almost six hundred fighting beasts at his whim. His second and third in command beasts, Felis the Wildcat and Bluefang the Weasel, checked where Drakul had missed.

"You there! The one with the pike! Hold it straight or ye'll murder someone and you'll be given a wet mackerel to fight with!" Felis growled.

"Oi sleepy-guts! Wake up or yewl find a sword in yours ribs!" snapped Bluefang.

Drakul walked up to a nearby hillock, jumped on to it and held his claws in the air. Silence was essential for addressing hordes. One misheard order and beasts would slay their friends.

"Friends, Comrades and Fighters! We have long known what is rightfully ours. Loot and plunder we were once able to freely take. But now look at us! See what years of slavery to rules have done to us and our reputation," Drakul paused effectively, "Our reputation couldn't get any lower when the traitor rats Rascaba and Saraba desert! _If_ killnose's report is true, they are inside the Redstone fortress." Drakul eyed Killnose suspiciously.

Killnose sneezed.

"Anybeast that doesn't fight to maximum ability will die by my claws! Then we will take the Redstone fortress, burn it to the ground and rid Mossflower of good-beasts and traitors forever!" The order and demanding tone made the speech work.

Pikes and spears banged on the ground while beasts drew their swords. All painted black and red war-paint on them.

_Drakul was coming nearer!_


	11. Beginning of bloodshed

It was dusk when Drakul approached the abbey gates.

He bellowed to the gatekeeper.

"Send forth your leaders Redstone beast. Let them know of and fear the indomitableness of Drakul the Mongoose!"

Brother Markin the mouse sent Krayn the otter to the abbot.

"Father Abbot, there's vermin-a-plenty out yonder gates. What's our plan of action?" Krayn asked politely.

"Take me to the gates." Abbot Mordalfus wheezed.

Assisted by Constance, Matthias and Briarflower, Krayn led them to the wall.

On the ramparts they saw Drakul.

When Drakul was seen, Abbot Mordalfus shouted,

"Which one is your leader?"

Drakul laughed.

"Right here, old one! Tell me, do the rat traitors live in yonder fortress? My claws are thirsty for blood."

"You have the guile of a fox, yet the body of a stoat!" Constance mocked. "Which half fights best?"

Drakul was angry, yet he held his temper.

"You know, I have never seen such a small fully-grown Bear in my life." He retorted.

His horde sniggered audibly.

Constance growled then barked back,

"I'll 'bear' you! Fight Badger to Fox-stoat if that is what you are."

Drakul had her eating from his claws. He rolled his eyes and shook his head making out he was in disapproval.

"Badger! If you haven't seen a Mongoose 'ere before, I pity you." He said, trying to emphasize the 'sympathy' in his voice.

Matthias had seen enough teasing, he shouted,

"We survived Cluny and Slagar! What makes _you_ so special?"

Drakul laughed manically.

He looked as if he'd stepped out of a nightmare. No, Drakul _was_ a living nightmare!

When Drakul stopped laughing, he replied,

"Those Milksops? Pah. They were tormentors, Aye like me. But they were easily held sway by their superstitions and old rodents' tales."

Drakul gagged with laughter.

The beasts on the ramparts drew to one side,

"It has been almost a year since Slagar stole Mattimeo" Constance whispered. "How could news travel that fast?"

"News travels on the wind." Said Briarflower.

Any hushed talk was stopped by,

"Give me the rats and you'll be spared a painful death." Drakul sneered.

Drawing herself up onto the ramparts, Constance roared out,

"We don't have any sort of rat in here, and if we did, we wouldn't let scum like you kill it on our abbey front!"

This made Drakul crazy.

He signalled to Darkbane, his standard-bearer who began to beat the standard into a rhythm. The spears and pikes beat on the ground.

His standard was that of a bloodied carcass of a dead cobra sewn into stoat pelt. Drakul's personal standard.

"Attaaack!!" roared Drakul, his blood-lust storming into his mind.

Rusty swords, bloodied spears and loose pikes flew up to the ramparts.

Drakul brought Killnose to him.

"Have you got Slaya yet?" he demanded.


	12. A good rat archer?

Cluny was shocked but he disguised it well. Here was a fellow from his old clan.

"Who are you Clan-brother?" he asked sneakily.

"Zär, but that's short for my true name. It's too long to say."

Zär shifted from paw to paw.

"But you already knew that Cluny Joseif."

This time Cluny had no words to say. This rat had used his clan-title. He, Cluny was son of Foxburr's second-in-command who was a close friend. Foxburr had had no children of his own, and Cluny had done him a great service once. Now he was supposed to be leader now Foxburr was dead.

_Joseif meant leader in the old language._

"Come on in Zär, you don't fear the Joseif do you?" said Maw tauntingly.

The rat Zär went into the church.

Blackfang asked what type of weapon Zär specialised in.

"Longbow archery and Broadsword fighting, but I'm good with Rapiers."

"Prove it." Piped Grawl, who was polishing her bow.

"I beg your pardon, are you _challenging_ me?" asked Zär almost big-headedly.

"Don't play coward. Prove it!" yelled Grawl.

Zär stood up to his full height.

"Ok, what's the target?" cheeked Zär.

Grawl got up and pushed back the closed door, light flooding in. She stepped out and with a burnt twig marked a cross on the tree.

"There. Ha! That tree with the cross on."

Scripp came out of the bushes and saw the new recruit Zär and Grawl having a contest. It was bound to be Grawl to win. She won at a whim! Scripp had seen her fell a crow in flight with one arrow, in the highlands.

Outside the church, Cluny sat by an old Mole-hill watching.

_Why should the rat make a fool of itself on its' first day? Everyone knew rats were notoriously bad archers._

Grawl took aim at the cross. It flew through the air hitting the centre with a dull thud.

"Beat that, Rat!" she sneered.

Zär was up next.

He loosed the arrow. It flew too high. He loosed another, it nudged the feathers. The Arrow sang through the air towards the point.

Cluny couldn't bear to look lest it failed or scored.

He looked after a while.

On the ground beneath the cross was a wrecked, split arrow. The white plumage said it was Grawls.

In the dead centre was a black arrow with crow's plumage.

_Zärs' arrow._

Cluny was relieved.

_He admired Zärs' skill._

Meanwhile, Grawl was shaking Zärs' paw, congratulating him.

_Cluny smiled._


	13. Slaya

Drakul moved off of the battleground, replacing himself with Dapel a weasel look-alike of himself.

Drakul pulled Killnose into Mossflower woods borders'.

Drakul's claws were painful on Killnose's ears.

Drakul whispered,

"Where is Slaya?" his claws digging into Killnose's ear.

_Torture always made them talk. Eventually._

A breath of cold air blew down Drakul's neck.

He let go of Killnose's ear. Killnose winced.

A rasping dry voice was heard. Drakul froze.

"Draykull, I am here, Have you an errand?"

Slaya always referred to his job when he said errand.

"Slaya my friend, come closer, you could easily be mistaken for a good-beast in there." Ordered Drakul.

On a moonless night, Slaya was anything but visible.

He could glide like a bat in the dark.

His stealth would always be admired in Drakul's horde.

Out of the trees, an almost invisible rat, the same mottled colour as the woods, stepped out. He was barely visible to Drakul, all tat you could see were his tail tip, which had purposely been dyed grey. Slaya bristled his fur, making himself visible, now a dark mahogany brown.

Drakul stared into the gloom.

"Those walls," he directed at the Redwall gates and walls, "Are being attacked as we speak, but i have a feeling in my claws that they won't surrender willingly. So my plan is this…."

Drakul then whispered to Slaya in his ears.

Then he reminded,

"Oh and Slaya, try not to fail me."

Killnose sniffed,

"Has he ever?"

Slaya stared at him unblinkingly.

Killnose gulped then stood still.

"My brother, Blackfur, may have deserted you, Drakul, but I would never….." hissed Slaya.

Slaya slid away behind Redwall's stone building out of sight.

Killnose watched, and then turned to Drakul to leave.

But Drakul had vanished.

Instead he heard,

"Athanasiussss…. Athanasiussss will show you the gates of eternity."

A stab in the tail by two thin dagger-like teeth did it.

Killnose tried to struggle towards the camp, but he slipped. Killnose stood, _but all his eyes could see were dark shapes!_ Killnose's vision went fluid, then totally dark.

Then he saw no more as his eyes misted over in cruel death.


	14. Slaya's coming!

An old hedgehog watched the fighting from above on the ramparts.

"We need more warriors, Matthias is too old and Mattimeo is inexperienced."

The Hedgehog turned t the speaker, opening its dry lips.

"If everyone thought like that, all pessimistic then there'd be no time for good things- like Ale f'r instance."

The speaker spoke again,

"Ambrose, for once, please keep your mind off Ales and beer. Redwall is nearly under full-scale siege and all you think about is ale and wines. Put yourself behind others emotionally."

Constance always had a point.

Constance felt her apron being tugged on.

"Badjamum, I heard a noise. It go skrit, skrit…"

Rüssa was interrupted again.

"Not now, Rüssa!" shouted Constance.

Rüssa stormed off.

Slaya chuckled as he thought of his plan.

He rubbed grit into his paws.

He would do as Drakul said, to perfection.  
Only Blackfur, his older brother by three seasons, could have beaten Slaya in climbing, even in fighting. But only Slaya was alive now.

Blackfur, the rat who lived in the shadows. The rat that everyone admired. The one with the darkest fur.

_Blackfur the Shadow._

That name left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Midnight approached, and Slaya wormed down the tree that he was sitting in.

He pulled his cloak around him from wary eyes. Under the leather cloak, Slaya felt secure and very invisible. At the base of Redwall's southern wall, Slaya dropped his cloak at the base, attaching rope, a dagger and a vial of liquid to his belt.

Slaya clawed into and up Redwall's wall.

He froze half-way up.

A minute passed slowly by, Slaya was clinging to the wall.

Slaya sneaked left to right, up Redwall's wall.

The same wall, his brother, Shadow had climbed up, and fallen down.


	15. Kidnap

Full battle was waged, each beast flinging spears, loosing arrows, pikes clashed as Javelins were thrown, narrowly missing Redwall's high walls. Not many fatalities had occurred on either side, when Drakul called a cease-fire.

The dibbun Jinral the otter-pup and Durral the mouse dibbun, who was the eldest, walked up to a certain Basil Stag Hare who was now asleep on a chair, head nodding after eating too much Deeper n'ever tater' n turnip pie

Durral winked at Jinral.

Jinral sniffed as and climbed up the table.

"1...2...3…"

Jinral leapt off the table and bounced off Basil Stag Hare.

Jinral and Durral hid under the table.

Basil Stag Hare was so winded, that he had no opinion to say.

Outside, Slaya had stopped. He had seen a slippery patch so he slid down a bit and climbed left, weaving and dodging but moving slowly up the wall, like a giant sort of dark moth. He reached the ramparts rather quickly; he had stuck pegs down the side of the wall for an easy escape if the other plan didn't work. He stopped. Pulling himself forwards, flat on the wall.

After he assured himself that no-one was about he leapt over the ramparts landing cat-like on his feet.

Slaya squinted to see into the distance.

_Good. No-one is in view._

He threw off his cloak to the floor and pressed himself to the wall.

All you could see of him was his eyes.

He moved towards a stair-case. He ran down them swiftly, making no sound. He ran underneath the ramparts, and started to dig. _Only a small hole to conceal himself._ He elongated the hole under Redwall's walls. He had to work quickly. It took him two hours to make that hole. He used his cloak, which he'd brought with him to conceal the hole. He sat and waited for what seemed the right time.

He got out, concealing the hole again.

He ran into the gatehouse, grabbed a golden candle-holder and ran out. He ran to the dormitories and slunk into the Dibbuns room. He had a sack; he slid a mouse-babe and a squirrel-maid into the sack and heaved them onto his back. He ran back to the hole and pushed the sack through. Then pulling his cloak through, he slipped out. Then he replaced some mud half-heartedly. He heaved he sack, once more onto his back and ran off into the night, to Drakul's horde.

It was dawn when the squirrel-maid and mouse-babe were reported missing.

"Oh why were you asleep?" You know that the time from midnight to Dawn is time for Dibbun guarding." Blamed Constance on Narai the mouse.

"No fair deal, I'm a mouse I am, and where were you? Asleep no doubt!" replied Narai.

"Those Dibbuns are Auma and my responsibility in the day-time, not at night. You idiot! They tire me out night and day."

Narai was about to reply when,

"Brothers, Sisters do not be fighting. Instead we should be finding out how Rüssa and Dabble escaped." Abbot Mordalfus said.

"Father Abbot! Come here now!" yelled a voice from outside.

Abbot Mordalfus, Constance, Matthias and Narai ran down to the voice.

It was Briarflower and Sam.

"There's a hole there" said Sam, pointing to the tunnel.

Briarflower said,

"They've gone through and dug it back again."

Constance bent down to the hole and sniffed.

"Rat." She growled.

"Rat? I see black markings, but no rat fur." Said Matthias.

Constance inhaled again.

"Yes it's definitely rat smell, and faint traces of squirrel and mouse."

Matthias paced up and down.

"We should get them back as soon as possible. If anywhere, they're at the horde." confirmed Narai.

"I'll go. I always wanted to go on an adventure like this" Briarflower volunteered, and stepped forward.

Briarflower's notion was admired and noble.

"I'll go too. I want to help." Volunteered Sam.

"How will a weasel and a squirrel rescue a mousebabe and a squirrel-maid from a Mongoose and his horde?" asked Constance in disbelief.

"We have protection. I have my dagger and Briarflower can use an ash quarter-staff or a spear."

Clover ran up holding a pike and a spear.

"I heard that you wanted a pike Briarflower. I've got a spear for me. I asked father and he agreed." She beamed.

"What makes you think you're going?" asked Matthias.

"I wanted to join you two and also Father's been teaching me how to use a spear on apples." Replied Clover.

"Where'd you get them?" asked Sam.

"The spear's mine, father gave it to me, but the pike's one of the horde's. I gave it a new nail and handle. It's yours now; I've polished it and cleaned it."

Briarflower accepted the pike graciously.

Clover, Briarflower and Sam bid the others and Redwall goodbye.

"Remember, a warrior can be many things good or bad. Those who look bad might not always be bad." Matthias said to Sam before the group left.

Clover, Briarflower and Sam set out from Redwall abbey to find the Dibbuns Rüssa and Dabble.


	16. Katryoneia

Cluny was suspicious.

There was something add about that new recruit Zär. He used a different place to sleep every night and He ate different food than the other-beasts.

When asked about his clan, he simply shrugged it off, saying that he'd rather not talk about it.

Cluny was sitting in a tree, with his tail hanging down, watching a robin that busied itself with twigs for a nest.

Blackfang ran up to the tree and lightly pulled Cluny's tail.

Cluny was startled.

"What did you do that for Nitbrain?" he cursed.

"Sorry chief, but there's been a new recruit." Replied Blackfang apologetically.

Cluny slid down the tree.

"Show me this new recruit." He said.

A fox was brought forth by Scripp and Blackfang. The fox wore a black kilt which matched his copper fur. His eyes were yellow with his left one having a slight grey-green tinge. From what Cluny could see, the fox had two tattoos, a lightning streak on his paw and a blackened tip on his white tip. The fox had a tear in his left ear and two notches in his right ear. He also wore a bandana and had two brass rings in both ears.

"Greetings, I am Katryoneia the axe. You are Cluny I presume?" asked Katryoneia.

"I am he. What do you want from me?" Cluny said as he moved towards the fox.

Katryoneia took out his axe and put it head down.

"I am from over the Roaring waters in the north, you came and pillaged my tribe a few seasons back with your horde, and I was but a mere cub then and wanted to join your horde but you refused. Now I have found you again, and I am a recruit, now I show you my skill."

He stood a sick upright a few yards away, and carefully balanced an apple on the top.

"Watch chief," He whispered, pointing to the apple. The axe whistled as it flew through the air.

The apple fell parted perfectly, the stick still standing, though a bit wobbly.

Cluny imagined that the apple was in fact an enemy's head.

"You are good with the axe, yet not a good liar, are you fox?" said a voice.

It was Zär.

"What do you mean?" asked a confused Katryoneia.

Zär moved forward,

"You were never from that part of the north, were you? No, you're from beyond the North Mountains, from Laguna Lake. The beasts there always refer to it as the roaring waters. But there are two roaring waters. If you mean the Roaringburn, you are a bad liar for that is in Southsward, Not Mossflower."

Katryoneia knew that this rat wasn't guessing.

"Laguna Lake. I hate that name, because it has bad memories."

"Don't worry, we all have bad memories, Why I remembers when Ole' Blackfang tried to…" Ripclaw was stopped by unfriendly looks.

"No, I mean Memories worse than that. Memories of a family, a father and two sisters slain by a wildcat." Katryoneia shuddered. "I had to change my name and learn my axe-wielding skill to forget the past."

It was clear that Katryoneia was only a young-beast.


	17. Deserters

"Oi Bluddneck! Did you see them figures leaving the Fortress?"

A small rat replied,

"Wot figures? I didn't see no figures. Where are they? I want plunder and Vittles, not figures!"

A grey Ferret, lying on his back, looking skyward, said loudly,

"Yes, but if yew plunders the figures, wotcha get? Plunder o' course!"

"We didn't ask your opinion Grayfur. I was asking Bluddneck." Hissed the angry voice.

"Not my fault, Iceskin if Bluddneck don't say who he's talking to!"

Iceskin, the Stoat who had spoken first, got up.

"Bluddneck, let's go see what they've got. Grayfur, Kalon and Komet, Let's go get them!"

The twin foxes, Kalon and Komet got up. The only way you could tell them apart was to know that Kalon was red furred with a silver tail and Komet was silver furred with a red tail. Either way they confused the horde-beasts until they were known well.

They all excused themselves, taking with them their weapons, bows with arrows and Grayfur's dagger.

No-one did notice a Stoat, a rat, a ferret and two foxes go missing from the horde.

"We're not true Drakul horde members. Well, we never liked him anyway." Said Kalon.

"Yes, we've never been in true warfare yet, says something doesn't it?" Yawned Komet.

"Yeah, say wotcha likes, we all hates him. He's worse than Ungatt Trunn, who my mother's great-great great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother, Grand Fragorl served under. She said Ungatt Trunn _painted_ his horde blue, and he only had two foxes in his horde, one of which killed him." Said Grayfur.

"Well, that's Wildcat's for you." Sighed Iceskin, picking up speed.

The group suddenly stopped.

"Where'd they go?" asked Bluddneck.

"Pssst!"

It was Kalon peering over a bush.

"Look over there, it's a rat. We all go and ask it if it's seen any figures about."

Ripclaw had decided to stray to the side opposite the side that Cluny was on.

A ferret and a stoat stepped out of the bushes.

"'ere matey, have you seen any figure-beasts about?" asked the ferret. It was Greyfur.

"I ain't seen no figures." Ripclaw said, and then looking at the two he asked, "You on yer own?"

Iceskin replied,

"Nope. Got more friends in the bush."

The three joined Iceskin and Greyfur's side.

"Anything's good for us, ain't it mates? Anything's better than Drakul. Speaking of Drakul, I betcha didn' know that I reckon Felis can't wait to get his claws in him."

Felis at the time was watching Drakul's every move. He knew that if Drakul was properly exited, the horde would be his.

It was mid-day when Slaya returned to camp.

Slaya was ushered into Drakul's tent.

"Did you do as I said so?" asked Drakul, scratching his arm.

"Yes, chief, they're in the sack," Slaya said as he fingered open the sack, sending Rüssa and Dabble out.

"Yes, with these young-beasts as bait, the Fortress will surrender. Get me a cage Darkbane!"

A small wooden cage was brought into the tent.

Drakul booted Rüssa and Dabble in and slammed the door in their face. They were both very young beasts, not knowing where they were or with whoever.

Rüssa was nervous. She comforted Dabble by cuddling him.

Outside the tent, Drakul was listening in,

"Iggle rike, Ruzza here you K?" said Rüssa while she cuddled Dabble.

Drakul called for Crazen and Maeve to come closer.

"I want you to give them Clan names, to make them forget about the fortress. Crazen, you're to look after the mousebabe. Maeve, you go the squirrel, agreed?"

The rat, Crazen was an old female, who had had children once, now they were gone and Crazen took the role of healer for the clan with Maeve the fox as her apprentice.

Maeve whispered,

"That squirrel, I heard her say her name was Ruzza. D'ye think that's a good clan name?"

Crazen who had got in first replied,

"Well, if that's a choice, it's yours. I think I'll call him Maze."

"Maze? That makes him sound stupid. Howabout Tyra? My grandfather was called that." Said Maeve.

"Tyra it is then, so do you think, they'll need new clothes, to not remind them of the you-know-what," Suggested Crazen. "Remember my youngest, Grug, who died a few seasons back? Well we could use his old clothes I made for him."

They burnt the old abbey clothes, and dressed the babes as vermin, disguising Rüssa as a Fox-cub and Dabble as a rat-babe.


	18. Going to see the Joseif

Sam was watching beasts up a tree, jumping from the tree to another tree to get a better view. Clover and Briarflower tracking from below.

As he climbed higher, he saw a pair of vermin coming straight towards them.

Sensing the danger, he warned,

"You two, get into the bushes, there's beast's coming!"

Rushing to conceal themselves, they jumped in the bushes as a white furred Ferret and a rat appeared,

"Did you hear anything?" asked the ferret.

"Nope. Musta been yours ears. All I heard was you talking about your ol' shipmate, Dambrush, eh, Tain?" the rat coughed sarcastically.

"Oh very funny Bukkon." Tain said as he cuffed Bukkon's ear lightly. "Y'know," Tain started, bending down to pick up a pine cone. "When Drakul eventually dies, I'm going to desert 'cos I always hated them beasts that say, 'I'm from a hotter or colder place than you, an' therefore I'm a better fighter.'" Tain spat on the floor, crushing the pinecone in his claws. "I'm sick to the fang of it all."

Continuing on, "You know someday, I'm gonna pick me-self a Jill and move up north, maybe to an island or something. But that'll be ages, anywho, I've changed me name."

Bukkon caught off guard, replied, "Oh yeah, wot to?"

"Don't laugh, it's Tainaith, it makes me sound braver."

"Whatever yew says, I think it's just added an 'aith' on the end. But it's yer name." then he added quietly, "even if it sounds stupid."

"Shall we go back?" suggested Bukkon.

Tainaith nodded and the pair moved back to Drakul's camp.

When the vermin were out of sight, Sam said,

"Bukkon? Wasn't that the name of that slayer Rascaba mentioned?"

Briarflower nodded.

"So where do we go next?" asked Clover,

"How about with us?" asked a mean, harsh voice.

A stoat, a ferret two foxes and a rat stood over them.

"You are on our chief's land, leave or come as slaves." Spoke the ferret.

"And who is your chief?" enquired Sam, standing paws akimbo.

"Who he is, is of no concern to you, Leave or stay, it's your choice, but remember that he has eyes everywhere." Warned the rat.

"I say again, who is your leader?" asked Sam, more determined, "Are you scum of Drakul?"

The stoat replied,

"No stoat lives in Drakul's horde for their own; they live for his hate..."

"I say again, who is your leader?" Sam was on the verge of becoming angry.

A black-furred fox broke his nerve, "We are the clan of the great Joseif. He's an infamous beast, known to many in the southern lands."

"This Joseif could help us find Rüssa and Dabble, maybe he could help." Suggested Clover.

"Hang on," said Briarflower, shaking her head, "Didn't Martin say, 'The Joseif will aid you in need, but only for a price'? This could be _the _Joseif."

"How'd you know that?" asked an astonished Clover.

"Rascaba recited it to me and I remembered it." Answered Briarflower.

"Alright, Group-vote, who's for going with them?" bold Sam questioned

Three paws shot up into the air, showing their choice.

"Take us to this Joseif." Decided Sam.

The Ferret smiled and shook his hand,

"This way to see he Joseif!" he announced.

The trio were going to see Cluny.


	19. The veil of memory

Zär was having a conversation with Maw, when Iceskin showed him Sam, Clover and Briarflower.

Zär introduced himself,

"Greetings, I am Zär, I am one of the two archer-beasts of the clan. Is there anything that I can do for you?"

"Yes," said Briarflower as she stepped forward, "When can we see the Joseif?"

"Everything comes to the beast that waits. I will arrange it for you as soon as possible." Replied Zär, walking to the room that contained the Joseif.

"That rat speaks too posh for a rat, doesn't he? I mean, was he educated?" laughed Clover.

The rat entered the room, and Sam pressed his ear to the door,

"Chief, the beasts want to see you; at least you should introduce yourself."

"What beasts are they?"

That voice. It was strangely familiar to Sam, where had he heard it before?

"A weasel, a hare and a squirrel, they said not much about themselves." Replied the first voice, he assumed it was Zär.

"Find out about them, their motives, scrutinise their actions, as long as you keep it secret from them."

Sam crawled away hastily from the door.

It opened, Zär came out looking white.

When he left their presence, Sam spoke,

"I recognize that voice; it's sort of a vague memory of a beast."

"What did it sound like?" asked Clover

"Deep and coarse. Also they're going to question us." Stated Sam.

"We've done nought wrong." Said a confused Clover.

"Aye, 'tis like that." Smiled Blackfang as he sat down by the fire, facing into it.

A fox, not one of the two that they had already seen, rested his axe by a tree.

"Katryoneia, but you should've seen the look on Scripp's face when I said Drakul was gonna kill 'im? He went white as Ermine an' then he keels over on top of Zär! Ah he's a good fighter, but y'see Zär was taking a nap an' when Scripp is on him, Zär starts beating him with a branch from out of nowhere!" laughed Blackfang.

"Yeah," yawned Katryoneia. "Zär's been acting a bit weird recently, haven't you noticed?"

"What d'ye mean?" asked Blackfang concerned.

"Well, ever since those new beasts, you know, the weasel, squirrel and hare came here, Zär's been doing weird things, like have you noticed how he's always sleeping up a tree now and every few days he manages to mend the clothes he wears? I tell you there's something fishy about Zär."

Frogskin was cursing the fate that made him go through that wood. It was dark and the rat had forgotten the way to the campsite after searching for some Wolfsbane and some Bramble bushes for berries.

"Oh come on! Think, think, think!" pressed the rat.

Every bush noise when rustled made Frogskin nervous.

"Whooo… Whoo…. Whoo….Whooo" an owl hooted in the darkness.

Frogskin madly ran to the left, then right then left again.  
Frogskin was hopelessly lost. He was about to cry for help when his foot twinged suddenly. Hot fiery pain in his footpaw, Frogskin hopped a few paces and fell.

As his eyes covered over in filmy darkness he heard finally,

"Athanasiussss…. Athanasiussss…. Athanasiussss will take you away."

The Dark forest had acquired a beast and the serpent a meal.


	20. Planning and plots

Drakul moved the horde's hiding-place on the next dawn. Weary beasts trudged and tramped, over to where Felis had positioned Drakul's standard.

When the horde got there, Drakul sent Bluefang and Hunter the fox to survey the horde.

After a few hours, the pair returned.

"Chief, we noticed that a few of the horde are missing." Said Hunter in elongated dialogue.

"What?!? Shouted Drakul, his fist clenched. "Did they get killed by the defenders, No! They deserted." Accused Drakul loudly.

"Don't just stand there! How many are gone?" demanded Drakul.

"About seven."

How many stoats?"

"Two chief,"

"The horde needs less stoats, more other vermin I think. Do you still Know Foulmart?" inquired Drakul looking at his claws.

"If I remember correctly, he owes me a favour." Sneered Felis.

Drakul walked closer to Felis,

"Send Nuggra and bang with you to get Foulmart. There's nothing quite like hired thugs." Laughed Drakul.

The scourge was doing something he had not yet done in an age. He was broadsword fighting with Zär. Cluny was an expert at Broadsword fighting that he thought Zär was an easy beast to beat. But Cluny had underestimated Zär's ability, and he was coming off the worse.

When the fight had been finished, Zär was victorious and Cluny was breathless.

"Where did you learn to fight like that? Are you sure you're really from my clan?" gasped Cluny.

Zär replied smiling,

"Talent, skill and practicing daily. Those are the things that make a warrior."

As Zär turned to leave, Iceskin ran up,

"Chief, it's the Enemy, Drakul! His horde's on the move and headed this way! What'll we do?" panicked Iceskin.

"Get every-beast into the church NOW!"

All the clan scrambled to the church and waited inside for the danger to pass.

"Has anyone seen Scripp?" asked Blackfang inside as he waited for the coast to be clear.

Scripp was outside, up a tree waiting for Drakul. He had tied a piece of his tunic to a tree, the horde would associate nothing important with it, But not Drakul.

At the back of the horde, Scripp joined on with Felis, who found Drakul.

Scripp was pushed into the tent of Drakul.

Drakul noticed him vaguely; he was writing a plan of getting the deserters where he wanted them.

"Ah, Scripp, my spy, tell me what news you have." looking up to Scripp.

Scripp moved forwards.

"I have news. During the time I've been infiltrating those beasts joined the Scourge's horde."

"How many stoats?" interrupted Drakul.

"-err... one, chief." Replied Scripp, "and also…"

"Were there any rats?" interrupted Drakul again.

"Yes, two"

"Both Female?"

Scripp could see where this was leading.

"No, one male, yet the other tried to pass herself off as a male. She's fooled the clan thus far."

"Was it a white or a black rat?"

"Black, yes, definitely black."

"Did she give her name?" interrupted Drakul.

"I think it was Zär, which was short for something."

Drakul sighed, _once again another dead end._

As Felis walked in, he had an idea. "Hmmm… Zär, Felis tell me, do you know anything about Anybeasts called Zär?"

"Zär… hmmm… I remember my mother telling me of one her great ancestors, who I am closely related to, called Tsarmina, Does that help?"

"Tsarmina y'say? Wasn't she that Wildcat ruler?" asked Scripp curiously.

"Zär… hmm, Tsarmina… O this means nought for me. We're looking for Saraba, not Zär!"

Then it came to him.

Zär was Saraba!

"Scripp get back to the small horde. Try to get Zär away from the clan long enough to serve as bait for her sister!" Drakul laughed manically as Scripp ran.

Finally he would have revenge!


	21. Cobnut and Ublaz

The horde had passed.

Clover, was shaking so Briarflower comforted her. Grayfur whispered to Bluddneck

"T'is just like the time when we were being chased by that swarm o' bees. We 'ad to stay in a place like this."

"Yes, but that one was better. Then you had beestings, now ye could 'ave your life snuffed out."

"Keep it down! Do you want to get us caught?" hissed Blackfang.

Greyfur and Bluddneck were silent.

Then Greyfur whispered, "Do you remember those bees that stung Drakul? He was covered in 'em beestings I reckon he tried to claw them away."

Bluddneck tried to stifle his giggles as Cluny rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"If you don't stop talking I'll make you stop, by cutting out your tongue."

"I said shuddup!" shouted Blackfang, raising his voice.

"Sshh!" echoed the beasts there present.

"Has anyone seen Scripp? Where is that weasel when you need him?" growled Cluny.

"Here sir!" Scripp shouted from behind him, making Cluny jump.

"Has Drakul and his horde gone yet?" asked Maw substituting for Cluny.

"I just saw 'em pass."

"Just a minute…" paused Cluny. "How could you have been here and seen Drakul pass?"

"Easy! I went out back and hid in a bush" lied Scripp.

"How could you hide behind a bush and be here at the same time?" asked Bluddneck ignorantly.

"Simple. A bush in the church's grounds is still on Church property. So either way H'im still here." Retorted Scripp. Cluny got up and surveyed what had happened to the church-land.

Nothing had betrayed the Horde's appearance and disappearance. That made him suspicious.

It usually meant that the horde would be often nearby, but it was a tactic Cluny had only previously seen performed successfully by one horde – his own.

Cluny scouted around the church, when he made one circuit of the church he sat down under a tree.

As he looked up, in amazement he saw a face looking down on him. The face was of a rusty version of chestnut fur, coal black eyes and cream coloured eye-patches. A pine Marten.

"What are you doing in my territory? I thought that Sensible beasts like you would keep off owned territory." Sneered the Pine Marten.

"This church has been used longer by me as a clan-base than it has been by you. Who are you to order me about?"

The Pine Marten jumped out of the tree, Cluny could see that it was wearing a short sleeved grey jerkin with a white trim.

"The name's Cobnut. T'aint no Squirrel name either!"

Iceskin came out of the church.

"Who's that?"

"Some Pine Marten that calls himself Cobnut…" replied Cluny

"Herself." Interrupted Cobnut.

"And why are Martens like you here in this neck of Mossflower woods?"

Cobnut scratched her arm,

"I ain't telling you anything unless you tell me why you're here."

Cluny began to tell the long tale.

"Very interesting…" Cobnut said, rubbing her hands. "I've never heard of any other beast escaping the Dark Forest. It could become a legend many years from now, a rat that died, and then came alive. Now you've told me your tale, I think it is time to tell you mine."

Cobnut began, "My husband, Oakpaw, was killed by foxes when we lived in the south. My son, Ublaz and I fled north because we knew that the foxes lived further south."

On cue, a smaller Pine Marten about the same age as Rüssa was, appeared from behind his mother.

"He only knew his father briefly, being only six seasons old…"

"I'm not six mum, I'm seven. I was six last spring." Interrupted Ublaz.

"He's seven. Sorry my mind's been so hectic recently. I forget things all the time."

Clover and Briarflower appeared.

"He's just like Jinral. Except he's a Pine Marten and Jinral's an Otter." Whispered Clover.

At the word 'Otter', Ublaz leapt on top of Cobnut.

"That word scared me. Otter h'animal sounds big, hairy an' scary."

Briarflower described an Otter to Ublaz after Cobnut put him on the ground.

"Oh. Silly me. I thought otters were scary-beasts."

Everyone laughed at the Pine Marten's mistake.

"We'd best get you to bed." Said Cobnut, picking up Ublaz.

"Not bed! No! Don' wanna go bed!"

"You're not staying here are you?" asked Briarflower. "I don't think it's safe for Ublaz to be outside, with all the horde of Drakul about."

"You could sty in the church if you want. It'll be safe there." Invited Zär.

Cluny came over, "It's best. No-one yet knows Drakul's capacity for evil."

The two Pine-Martens were led in to the church.

The door shut, the beasts safely inside.

Suddenly, Polecats, many Polecats were running through the bushes, each one painted like tree-vermin and brandishing either spears or a blow-pipe.

Foulmart and his Polecats had been summoned to the battle.


	22. Foulmart

Later that night, Drakul met with Foulmart. Foulmart was muscle for muscle almost identical to Drakul in stature except that Foulmart had a longer tail. Foulmart was a tawny, mousey-brown creature with a white mask.

"Zo, Drahkuil, hazz 'zer been any newz? I hazn't eard much zince ve last met."

"Foulmart, I have sent for you because you are the best at tracking."

Drakul saw Foulmart stand that little bit taller with pride.

"I need you to track and capture a band of run-away horde members." Drakul paused. "If you succeed, your rewards will be greater than when Ferahgo attempted to find Salamandastron's treasure."

Foulmart then stepped forward,

"Faw zees, I only aksept great revards. How mainy are in zis rebellion?"

"At least, nothing your polecats can't handle."

Foulmart pressured Drakul facing him and pushing him on his chest seriously.

"If anyzing happens to my Pawlcats, I expect you to repliz them. I aksept. Ve'll start tomorraw."

Drakul went inside his tent.

Foulmart went into his horde of assassins in the dawn.

"Ve have a job to do. Drahkuil vantz uz to capture a groop of Dezerterz. Here'z vhat ve do. Fitchew, you take six Pawlcats wiv you, Rathunta, you also take six and Vissal you take five. The rest of you stay wiv me. Ve vill flush zem out!"

With the other three groups left to scour around the camp, Foulmart called Azasen , the 'chief' of poisons and dangerous weaponry.

"Azasen, You know vy I havv come."

Azasen blinked her unusually blue eyes then hissed,

"You want me to dissposse of ssomeone. I can read you like an open book, Drakul iss he, Foulmart?" Azasen's voice was reptilian and it emphasized her wiry form.

"Very clezzer, Azasen, Drahkuil's zecond-in-kommand, Felis, told me during ze time zat he zent to bring me zat he haz grown tired of being underneath Drahkuil. He haz appealed to my darker nature to dizpoze of him. Zat iz vere you kom in."

Azasen's Black fur bristled, listening intently.

"Asssasssination. You want me to asssasssinate Drakul?" she asked.

Foulmart grinned a blackened toothy grin.

Pulling Azasen closer, he put a claw on her shoulder.

"I vant to azk you. Iz Volfsbane of Monkzhood or Hemlock deadlier?"

Azasen stared at Foulmart.

"If you mean whether they kill faster when consssumed, Wolfssbane iss almost undetectable. Excepting when handled it iss invissible."

Looking from side-to-side Foulmart whispered,

"I vant you to go into the army's tentz and poizon Drahkuil's forces. If you kan poison Drakul, if you kan't poizon the foodz."

Azasen bowed low, and went to her tent to prepare her concoctions.

Foulmart walked back to his group.

"Who vantz to find dese Traitorz?" he announced.

The reply was spearbutts drumming on the ground and shouts of,

"Pawlcats! Pawlcats! Fighters awl!"

The battle-cry was heard by the beasts inside Redwall Abbey and it struck a chord in their fears.


	23. Cry of Aide

Inside the Abbey, Abbot Mordalfus called an abbey council meeting.

"It has been a few days since Drakul's forces camped near our abbey and with every time they get closer to us, our casualties pile higher. Now in this time of need, I ask you all here present, do you, any of you, know of anyway in which we can make the horde be vanquished?" Abbot Mordalfus asked.

Beckstream, a visiting otter-maid stood up and said,

"I've heard there's lots of Bird-life in Mossflower Woods. Maybe I could get a message to them that we need help. And maybe send a bird-messenger to Salamandastron"

"It's a great idea, but how will we get a message to the birds?" asked Friar Hugo.

"Simple, I already thought of that."

Then bringing two fingers to her lips, she whistled a long loud whistle.

It took a few seconds, but outside, by the door, was a very grey Gyrfalcon.

"A gyrfalcon? That's preposterous. How would a gyrfalcon carry a message to Salamandastron?" asked Constance.

The bird walked awkwardly forward.

"Aeros can fly the message directly to Salamandastron. Saves time than switching messengers." Cawed Aeros.

Matthias, who had been sitting in the chair next to the abbot, asked cunningly,

"But surely, such a bird like you will want payment?"

Aeros blinked,

"Payment? I do not require payment. All I need is a helmet, that is all."

"A helmet?" guffawed Ambrose, "Where would we find a helmet? Even if we found one, where would we find one of you size?"

Aeros ignored the wry remark.

"If one of your scribes would write a letter, I could attach it to my leg and fly it there, problem solved, as I am a lenient bird, I will ask at Salamandastron for the helmet."

The meeting was adjourned, and a note was attached to the leg by Beckstream.

Moving awkwardly to the parapets and scaring a few Dibbuns on the way, Aeros flew over the woods.

Azasen searched around the northern end of the woods for her supply of Wolfsbane, her supply had run low; when she saw a bird she recognized from her homeland- a gyrfalcon. The arc of the wings was very familiar; she'd seen these many a time before. Reaching for her protective bow, she loosed a Dove-feather fletched, poison-barbed arrow towards the bird, catching it on the wing.

Sorely wounded, Aeros screeched and dropped suddenly, not fatally wounded, but tried an easy landing with an arrow embedded in his wing. Satisfied she was not being watched, Azasen continued.

Aeros tried to pull out the arrow, unaware of his surroundings.

Drakul had gone to find Slaya when he noticed the bird, quickly hiding behind a tree.

_The Redstone Fortress had spies!_

He could not strike from this distance and survive unharmed from _those_ talons. Reaching for the obsidian dagger that hung from his belt, he lobbed it at the bird.

Picking up the dagger, he reached for the message and grabbed it.

Opening it delicately he read the message,

"So they need supplies and reinforcements?" he paused, "Time for the real war to begin!"


	24. Memory

Scripp was trying to make a way to betray Cluny

Scripp was trying to make a way to betray Cluny. He used three pebbles, one red for the fortress, one grey for Cluny and one black for Drakul's Horde. Using a stick, he tried to mark a way for them to move. Clover came over, and seeing Scripp asked,

"What're you doing Scripp?" causing Scripp to jump.

Scripp tried to hide the plan. Then he thought-

"A game, it's a game!" _That ought to get rid of her!_

"Can I play please?" _Darn, come on Scripp, you gotta think harder than you've ever done before._

"Alright, uh, there are three pebbles, one red, one grey one black. The aim of the game is simple. You've got to get to the black pebble to the grey pebble with as little moves as possible- but the red pebble can't move."

Scripp drew a grid with a stick in the dirt. "And you can't come within a box's width away from the red pebble," placing the large red pebble in the middle, the grey one slightly to the south-east of the pebble, and the black one on the north 'shore' of the grid.

Easily, Clover picked up the black pebble and moving it over the red one placed it next to the grey one.

"Without going over the red pebble." Scripp said dryly, handing back the black pebble, placing it back on the starting position, Clover thought about how to move the pebble. Then within three diagonal moves, she moved around the red pebble.

"Well done. Now for the next round- here we introduce the four white pebbles- small, fragile, easily broken. The aim is to get past those without getting to close to the red pebble."

He put the pebbles a width away from both the edges and a width away from the red pebble. Clover thought hard, she couldn't get there as easily as she first thought. Scripp carefully watched the hare's moves.

Cautiously, Clover moved one diagonally, towards the left, then two to the right. A white pebble was on the side. Moving forward, then diagonally to the grey pebble, narrowly missing the red pebble.

"Congratulations- you've won the game."

Clover breathed a sign of relief. "That's a good game- how did you come up with it?"

Scripp stretched, then told her.

"My grandfather was once in a defence movement against Juska folk. He came up with the game to find a way to assassinate the leader, the large pebble was the body-guard, the smaller grey pebble was the leader. He taught me that game. I added the four white pebbles to add urgency to the game. You can easily adapt it." He fabricated.

Clover thanked him for the game. Then as she left, Scripp hissed, "Thank-you for your plan."

That night, Cluny dreamt again. It was not of the black and white rat. Now he was a young rat, looking at his father. His father was a proud and proven warrior who fought with nobility and honour. It was this that would bring his downfall. His father wore a scarlet long jacket, the sort only worn by royalty and those who served the royalty, and a deep blue tunic underneath. Cluny had inherited his father's stature and tail length, but his eyes and snout of his mother.

"Now then, Cluny, there comes a time in every young one's life that all must experience regardless or not. Today, I am going to teach you how to defend yourself. You'll need the skill if you're to survive a fight."

Cluny, though young had already been an expert in archery since he was a young rat when his mother lived.

"But I already know how to use a bow and arrow." Cluny pointed out.

Shaking his head, he brought him to the door.

"Look around at everyone in the clan, Cluny." He brought his young son to the door side. "See that everyone has had experience on the battle-field."

"Not all of them." argued Cluny.

His father thought a while, and decided to walk outside, Cluny, keeping close to him.  
"To become a true warrior, you don't need a sword."

"No?"

"No. You need to see with eyes unclouded. Look around you."

Cluny saw Duskpaw, an aged red squirrel in a long brown tunic. The limp was more pronounced than usual. Maybe it was the bout of bad weather the clan had had recently.

"Did Duskpaw get his limp by battle?" asked Cluny.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" His father replied, stretching his woaded left arm across his right as he walked back to the hut. Cluny ran up to the red squirrel.

"Mister Duskpaw, do you need any help?" he asked, seeing the bucket of water, that the squirrel was trying to draw up from the well.

"Why, if it isn't young Cluny, yes of course." Cluny heaved on the rope, dragging the bucket of water up. Putting it on the floor, he caught his breath. Then he hauled it to Duskpaw's tree-house.

Placing it on the wooden table of Duskpaw's, Cluny decided to ask him the question

"Mister Duskpaw, why do you have a limp? Is it because of a fight?"

Sitting down, Duskpaw said, "Cluny, the reason I have a limp is because of this, then lifting up his tunic hem, he revealed a peg-leg. "This was not caused by a fight. It was by a battle, a War."

Cluny's imagination ran wild as he heard loud screams and shouts in his head.

"When I was younger, about four seasons older than you, I went into battle."

Duskpaw coughed, sending dust sprawling into the glowing air. "It was the battle for Silvertop. You've heard of that place, haven't you?"

Cluny nodded; it was the battle that his uncle, Seagrass Moonstar had fought in.

The first of three battles, the first won by the clan, the next by the clan, then defeated by the Wildfoes, a barbaric and savage tribe of southern beasts.

"Well on the night before the second battle, I was defending the keep when a beast approached me, I was a fool then, because he was an assassin and he tried to kill me, but as I defended myself, he botched it, and he partly maimed my leg. It had to be amputated and I haven't been as able as I was before then."

Cluny thanked Duskpaw.

"But what does this mean about seeing with eyes unclouded?" he asked. The old squirrel looked at him.

"Cluny, let me ask you something. What did you think of me before you found out about my leg?"

Cluny paused, trying not sound offensive.

"Well I thought you had a gammy leg, maybe going crippled or worse, and that you were old and grouchy."

"But looks deceive, Cluny. What looks innocent might not be so." Duskpaw yawned, "Now please, go and enjoy youth while you can. I may be old, but there is a multitude of wisdom in me."

Cluny ran out to his father's hut to tell him. Not looking where he was going, he accidentally ran into Saraba.

"Watch where you're going! Oh, hello Cluny." She said, helping him up. Saraba and her sister were the same age as Cluny at the time.

"Hello Saraba." He smiled, Saraba always made him embarrassed.

"Where are you off in a hurry then, you look like you've got a Wildfoe chasing you." She asked concerned.

"I was with Duskpaw, he told me why he has a limp." He said proudly.

"Everyone knows that, Cluny- we all know why."

Cluny felt downtrod.

"But we can help you find out more." She offered, "Follow us!"

Cluny decided to tell his father later.

The morning came, and Cluny woke from his dream. Scripp had been back for at least an hour and pretended to sleep. He started to sleep when he was woken by Bluddpaw.

"I know what you've been doing Scripp and believe me- it ain't pretty." He warned. "I've seen you with that Mongoose in secret."

Scripp begged, "Please, don't tell Cluny, I'm only doing my job!"

Bluddpaw rubbed his chin, "I won't tell him, if you give me 50 of your loot."

Scripp hastily agreed. Then taking him away, Scripp led him away, taking Bluddpaw to the quarry, talking of what they would do when the clan was betrayed.

Above the precipice of the quarry, Scripp pointed to the church, then over to Drakul's forces, then to the fortress.

Scripp said, "Unfortunately, this is the end of the ride. Y'see, Scripp is a lone worker."

Then he pushed the hapless rat down, the fall breaking his legs. Turning back, Scripp did not notice the eyes watching him.


End file.
